Pieces
by maryeemeeh
Summary: Jeff Hardy is forced to take time off from the WWE to heal his injuries only to be set back due to his impatience that may interfere with the healing process. He seeks advice from an old friend who suggested yoga, only to ignite suppressed feelings that threatened to appear. Trish/Jeff.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**: So I happened to re-watch a bunch of Trish and Jeff's old matches and segments (since wrestling, especially the current women's division sucks IMO), I had the sudden urge to write a fic! This just came to mind and I thought I give it a shot, hoping there is still interest for the pair (I'm a huge fan!). I've written a bunch of Jeff/Trish stories in the past, but I can't remember where I submitted them, and unfortunately don't have any of it saved on my computer. It's been years, so this will be my first Jeff/Trish fic that I'll have on here.

The title of the story is from a song called "Pieces" by Red and you'll see some lyrics in the beginning of each chapter (in a few if not all chapters where I see fit). I DO NOT OWN the WWE nor the characters. This is simply for entertainment purposes. With that said...R&R. Enjoy!

**Summary**: Jeff Hardy is forced to take time off from the WWE to heal his injuries only to be set back due to his impatience that may interfere with the healing process. He seeks advice from an old friend who suggested yoga, only to ignite suppressed feelings that threatened to appear.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_I'm here again, a thousand miles away from you  
A broken mess, just scattered pieces of who I am _

Jeff Hardy left WWE headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut after a scheduled meeting with Vince McMahon concerning his future with the company. He had just returned and suffered a herniated disc during a pay-per-view showing a few weeks ago, forcing him to take time off to heal his injuries. Now everything that built up to his anticipated feud with CM Punk must be put on hold and the thought of doing hours and agonizing months of physical therapy instead of devoting his time in the ring and doing what he loves most was difficult to grasp.

As he exited the building, greeting staff and crew members along the way, he took out his cell phone from his back pocket to see he had a new text message from his long-time friend Amy Dumas, known as Lita, who happened to be in town to do a surprise appearance for RAW later on that night. She had finished doing an autograph session and gave him an address to a coffee shop where they agreed to meet.

It didn't take him very long to get to the coffee shop for it was only a few blocks from the headquarters as he spotted Amy inside, sporting her natural brunette hair color with a pair of jeans and a black WWE RAW t-shirt. He walked in and motioned gracefully towards her direction.

"Hey," he greeted in his recognizable warm southern accent as Amy looked up and genuinely smiled at him.

"Hey, Jeff. It's nice seeing you." She briefly got up from her chair to give him a hug. They parted and both sat down, smiling ecstatically at one another. It's been months since they last spoken and it felt rather good to be in each other's company once again. "How have you been?"

"Good, good." He said, nodding his head as a distant sigh escaped from his lips. Amy noticed his solemn behavior as he downcast his eyes with very little to say. Jeff was known to be quiet and laid back, but she knew instantly that something was bothering him. It didn't help either that his actions spoke a thousand words and he simply was oblivious to the fact.

"Okay, Hardy what's going on?" She asked curiously as she comfortably leaned back against the chair with her arms folded across her chest. "And don't say nothing because I know that aint the truth." He lifted his eyes from the table and gave her a crooked smile. They've known each other for years and it would be silly of him to challenge her.

"I'm out for a couple of months."

She frowned, knowing the feeling all too well. "I'm sorry to hear that. Have you started therapy?"

"Yea, but-" he paused in mid-sentenced and groaned as frustration became evident in his fierce emerald eyes. He continued on. "I've done everything right, made sure I was on top of things with my therapy, but my doctor and physical therapist said my return may have to be pushed back. I thought I was making progress, but the whole process is just taking a lot longer than I expected."

"We're no longer in our twenties, Jeff." She smirked as her male companion slightly chuckled at the remark. "And it is going to take some time. You'll just have to be more patient." There was a brief pause as she pursed her lips with a thought in mind. "You should really consider putting yoga in your training. It helped me a lot with my neck injury and I was able to return to the ring earlier than scheduled."

He arched his brow. "Yoga huh?"

"Oh come on, I know you think it's a girly thing. But Randy is doing it, so is Rey. It's very liberating." She added.

He pressed his lips in a thin line. "I'll think about it."

"Well if you are interested, you should talk to Trish. She knows a lot more than I do and she does have her very own yoga studio."

He looked down to conceal the smile that threatened to appear. He never spoke about it, but the mentioned of her name often made his stomach clenched. It has been years since they last spoken or seen each other, and just to hear her name gave him a reaction, one that sent a thousand bolts surging through his veins. For as long as he remembered, since the day he first laid eyes on the Canadian bombshell, he always had a crush on her.

"Jeff?" Amy called out to him after a moment of lingering silence. He snapped out from a fixed trance as he shifted his eyes on her.

"Yea?" He replied blankly.

She smiled. "I know it's not exactly your thing, but I know it will help you."

"No, I'll uh," he grunted, clearing the lump in his throat, "…I-I'll do it."

Amy lifted her eyebrows. "You will?" She spoke in disbelief.

"Yeah, why not?" He shrugged. "It'll probably be good for me."

She nodded, "Well alright then. You should meet up with Trish tonight."

"Tonight?" He wrinkled his forehead in bewilderment.

"Yeah," Amy smiled. "Oh, I forgot to mention. She will be flying here from Toronto for the RAW showing. We're both making surprise appearances."

He slightly parted his lips. This was definitely a surprise. "Oh."

* * *

**A/N:** So, let me know what you think! Thanks for reading and don't forget to leave a review!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Thank you to those who have reviewed! Surely, there has to be more Trish/Jeff Hardy fans out there (lol). Anyway, just want to point out that I haven't watched wrestling in years, so I apologize if I mentioned superstars who are not in RAW...or are no longer in the WWE. I'm not an expert at yoga either, so I'm just going along with what I know. lol. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 2**

_I've tried so hard, thought I could do this on my own  
__I've lost so much along the way_

It was a sold-out crowd in Stamford, Connecticut. Jeff Hardy was backstage in one of the men's locker room watching the show intently, but rather enviously. He could have been out there if it weren't for his injuries and it killed him to be sitting out on the sidelines instead being in the ring.

Following an exciting match that occurred between The Miz and Randy Orton, it was now the Diva's segment as the Bella Twins' entrance music hit and the sisters walked proudly down the ramp to the ring. At that point, Jeff found himself zoned out—anticipating Amy and Trish's return while drowning out the words of the Bella Twins who were calling out the two surprised guest divas they were going up against on a tag team match. Little do they know, they were about to get the surprise of their lives.

Then on cue, Lita's music filled the arena as screaming fans began to roar with excitement. The Bella Twins looked on with a mix of shock and terror in their facial expressions. They began to verbally argue in the ring; blaming each other for the fallout that led to the match they no longer wanted. Suddenly, Lita slid under the ropes, forcing the Bella Twins to jump out of the ring as the once fierce redhead, now turned brunette climbed up the ropes and acknowledged the crowd.

As Lita had her back turned, the Bella Twins took the opportunity to sneak up on her when suddenly the lights dimmed and the salacious and infectious laugh resonated in the arena, sending in another wave of excitement and cheers from the crowd. Canada's very own Trish Stratus appeared beneath the stage lights; her long, brunette hair falling loosely as she smiled and pointed to the fans. A sly grin crept over Jeff Hardy's face at the sight of her and he instantly felt his heart contract.

The match was brief, but bittersweet for the former Divas. The Bella Twins really had no chance against the more experienced WWE Women's Champions. Both sides went at it, taking a couple of bumps to get the match going. It was no surprise, however to see that both Lita and Trish still had great athletic ability; successfully delivering their signature moves despite being out of the ring for quite some time now. "Lita" chants erupted from the crowd as Trish goes for the tag, allowing Lita to deliver her Moonsault after Trish did a double Stratusfaction on the twins. Finally, Lita and Trish ended it with a 1-2-3 count for the win. The crowd went wild as Lita and Trish held their hands up in victory before sharing a hug in the middle of the ring.

They returned backstage, only to be greeted by a couple of their old friends who congratulated them. Jeff Hardy was among the crowd, waiting as Amy and Trish slowly make their way over to him; occasionally being stopped by their friends to exchange a few words. He stood nervously with both hands stuffed in the front pockets of his torn up jeans while his back leaned casually against the wall. More wrestlers and divas from backstage began to surround the two, providing him more time to steady his quick breathing and bring his body back to equilibrium.

He felt her presence nearing as the crowd gradually dispersed to return to their business. Jeff's heart began to pound uncontrollably against the confines of his chest, trying so hard to not let his emotions cloud his features. Momentarily, Trish and Amy appeared from the small crowd with what's left of their adrenaline from their match as they approached Jeff Hardy with heavy breaths and the mere excitement that never left their faces.

"Hey!" Amy was the first to greet Jeff as he nervously shifted his gaze over to Trish. The Canadian native smiled warmly at the young Hardy as she stepped forward and gave him a quick hug. His knees weakened._ 'God, why did she have to be so beautiful.'_ He thought.

"Aah, it's so nice to see you!" She gushed as he smiled and tightened his hold around her petite waist. They parted and he soon felt a wave of discomfort lurking in the pit of his stomach as she smiled her brilliant smile. "How long has it been? 5? 6 years now?"

He let out an uneasy chuckle; one that did not go unnoticed as Amy stared at him weirdly. "Sounds about right," he muttered nervously as he found himself completely awestruck by her beauty. In his eyes she looked perfect; just as beautiful when she first joined the WWE, if not, more beautiful today. "You look great, Trish." He managed to say after what appeared like an eternity of silence between them.

"Thank you," she slightly blushed underneath his intent gaze. "You don't look bad yourself."

Jeff Hardy broke his eye contact from her as soon as he spotted Stephanie McMahon approaching them. He nod his head to acknowledge her, allowing Amy and Trish to both turn around in unison.

"Hey, guys!" Stephanie placed both arms around the former Divas. "It's nice seeing you ladies again." There was a brief pause as she looked up at Jeff and smiled. "I'm going to steal them away from you, if you don't mind, Jeff. We uh, got some things to discuss." She looked from Amy and Trish as they both grinned at her.

He nodded, "alright."

"I'll see you both in my office." Stephanie informed as she turned on her heel and left.

"Let's have dinner after?" Amy suggested as Jeff and Trish nodded in agreement.

"Sure," he replied while glancing over at Trish. "I'll uh see you guys later." She smiled.

* * *

Jeff, Trish and Amy all decided to go to a Bar and Grill somewhere downtown as they entered the restaurant where they were situated in a table next to the bar. They ordered food and drinks while also being greeted by the fans as they willingly signed a few autographs and took pictures with them.

"So what did yall talk about with Steph?" Jeff asked as soon as they were no longer bombarded with fans.

"Oh yah know, talked about ways to improve the women's division." Trish replied as Jeff felt his pulse quickened as soon as she looked at him. "Stephanie was not happy about how it's turning out and wanted us to step in. So she offered us a contract."

Jeff Hardy lifted his eyebrows in surprise. "S-so…you guys are returning to the WWE?" He said almost hopefully.

"Not exactly," Amy spoke after taking a swig of beer. "She wanted us to train the current divas in the roster while doing some segments between shows. She's aware that we have other commitments outside the WWE and is willing to work with our schedules."

"It's mostly behind-the-scenes work, just enough to get the women's division rolling again." Trish added as a smirk crept over her lips. "We wouldn't want to take their spotlight now, do we?" She said, turning to Amy as she too smiled.

"Well, whatever you guys do I'm sure it will be good for the company." Jeff said before taking a bite of his burger. The three sat in silence for a brief moment, enjoying the food in front of them while occasionally looking up at the many TVs that surrounded the restaurant showing different sports and current news that took place.

"So…" Trish started off as Jeff felt his heart swelled once her attention was on him. "Amy tells me that you're thinking about doing yoga."

He slightly nodded. "I thought I give it a shot."

"Well, I have a bunch of stuff—DVDs and handbooks that you can have. I'd be happy to meet with you so we can talk about it some more if yah like. In fact, I'm meeting up with some of the Divas for a little session back at the training facility, and you are more welcome to join us."

Jeff curiously raised his eyebrows. "How long are you here for?"

"A week," she answered. "Amy and I agreed to work with the Divas while we're here, just to get an idea of what we're dealing with, and how they go about with their training."

"It's the least we can do for Steph before signing any contract." Amy added as she downed the rest of her beer and signaled the bartender for more. "I'll be right back to get more drinks." She left the table and headed towards the bar, leaving Jeff alone with Trish. It dawned on him that this was the first time being alone with her outside the WWE. They had a few storylines together in the past, and would briefly rehearse their lines before being filmed. But this was something entirely different—new territory for him as he gulped down the rest of his beer nervously, trying so hard to not let his uneasiness get the best of him.

"So how are things with you?" She asked, breaking the silence that hung over them.

He shifted in his seat uncomfortably before responding. "Things could be better. I'm not gonna lie, it's been a rough couple of years."

She nodded her head, fully aware of Jeff's troubles with his addiction and the multiple charges pressed against him. "I'm very proud of you, Jeff." She stated genuinely as his eyes softened in her gaze. "I know it hasn't been easy for you, but I'm glad to see you back."

He smiled. "Thanks, Trish. That means a lot." There was a brief pause as he began to relax in her presence. It never occurred to him how easy-going she was. He always found her intimidating. "So what about you?" He asked, re-directing the attention to her now. "How is the married life?"

She averted from his gaze and sighed, "Finalizing my divorce unfortunately." She said vaguely while taking a sip of her patron margarita. He parted his lips to say something, but no words would emerge as he lowered his eyes in regret.

"I'm so sorry, Trish. I didn't kn-"

"It's okay." She looked at him with a reassuring smile as she noticed the solemn look on his face. "Please don't be troubled by me, Jeff. I'll be fine."

He simply nodded as Amy motioned towards them with a second-round of drinks. They each took their glass as Amy raised her beer bottle to make a toast. "To Trish and I, reuniting once again and possibly returning to the WWE, but who knows…" she shrugged as Trish let out a chuckle, "And to Jeff," Amy paused in mid-sentenced as her eyes met with his emerald ones, "may you have a speedy recovery, my friend. Cheers."

"Cheers!"

_to be continued..._

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks for reading. Please don't forget to leave a review!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3  
**

_I've come undone,  
But you make sense of who I am_

The following morning, Jeff Hardy returned to his hotel room after an intense workout with his personal trainer. He prepared an ice bath after a workout regime that left his entire body sore and aching in pain. He slowly stepped inside the ice and water filled tub—adjusting to the cold temperature before fully dipping his feet in. As soon as he played within his personal comfort zone, he then submerged his body into the water, taking in deep breaths as the fierce cold zapped him in all the right places, causing him to shiver and tense up to the unsettling temperature. He stayed in there with his head resting on the edge of the tub, taking his mind elsewhere other than the cold. He thought about his injuries—his desire to return to the ring—being 9 months sober, and losing custody of his daughter after a long hard fought battle against his ex-girlfriend. And then his mind drifted to Trish; how someone he thought was seemingly perfect, living a perfect life may also be dealing with a crisis of her own. He thought about her divorce and how regretful he felt for bringing her marriage to the conversation. But how could he know that there was trouble in paradise when she kept her life private from the public eye? But what didn't make sense to him was how can anyone leave someone beautiful and smart like Trish?

A distant sigh escaped from his lips as he returned from his brief reverie and decided that after ten minutes of ice immersion, his body has finally reached his cold threshold. He stepped out of the tub and discarded his wet tank and shorts to wrap a dry towel around his waist. He motioned towards the living room and grabbed his phone to see that he had a missed call from Trish. Jeff raised his eyebrows in surprise as he went ahead to call her back.

"Hello?" She finally answered after the fourth ring before it went straight to voice-mail. Her tone was so warm and welcoming; Jeff couldn't help himself but smile. "Uh hello?"

He shook his head, forgetting for a brief moment that he was on the phone. "Uh, hey Trish. It's Jeff." He greeted nervously. "You called?"

"Yea, I'm sorry to bother you."

"Not at all." He replied softly. "Is everything alright?"

"Oh yea, everything is ok. I was just wondering if you wanted to meet up for lunch and discuss more about yoga and catch up for a bit?"

There was a brief pause. Jeff couldn't believe his ears as he found himself at a loss for words. _'Trish Stratus inviting me to have lunch with her?'_ He thought in disbelief.

"You still there?" Her soothing voice made his insides clenched as he took a moment of silence to gather himself together.

"Yea, I'd _love_ to." He finally had the courage to answer as he smacked himself on the forehead for sounding so eager. '_Idiot_' he thought.

"Great!" She exclaimed cheerfully on the other line. "I'll meet you downstairs at the lobby in an hour?"

"Sure, sounds good."

"I'll see you later, Jeff."

"Later."

He hung up the phone and smiled.

* * *

"Yoga helps strengthen our body and mind, Jeff. We are often stressed out, especially with the demands of life and work, and if we could just tap into our minds and find that inner peace, we can promote an overall increased in physical and mental well-being." Trish explained to him as he listened attentively while looking at the contents of the DVD she has given him. He then looked back at her and smiled, so moved by her words and how well she articulated each syllable as she spoke. He could listen to her forever. "What?" She asked shyly as Jeff continued to stare at her in awe. "Is there something on my face?"

"Oh no," he shook his head, slightly embarrassed as he uncomfortably rubbed the back of his neck, "you're just— very inspiring and passionate about what you do. And I think it's great, Trish."

She smiled appreciatively at him. "Why thank you, Jeff. So…does that mean I inspire you?" She questioned playfully as it made him slightly blush underneath her gaze. He had to take a deep breath to calm his nerves.

"You got me this far," he replied with a grin.

She nodded as silence lingered between them. They've been in the restaurant for two hours now, and although he suspected lunch between two people who barely knew each other to be incredibly awkward, it surprised him to see how laid back Trish was. They could talk for hours and the conversation could never be boring.

"Well, enough about yoga." She said to break the silence. "How are you holding up, Jeff? How's that little girl of yours?" She asked curiously, causing him to shift uncomfortably in his seat at the mention of his daughter. He simply shrugged his shoulders. It was a sensitive subject he rarely discussed with anyone; not even with his older brother Matt.

"I wouldn't know. I've lost custody of her remember?" He added bitterly as Trish lowered her head with the regret that suddenly clouded her features. She could sense the pain behind his emerald eyes as it made her heart sigh for him.

"I'm so sorry, Jeff." She muttered softly, unable to look at him. "How insensitive of me to-"

"Trish, it's okay. I've brought up your personal life last night when it wasn't my place."

"Please, Jeff." She retorted as their eyes met once again. "You had no idea what was going on. But for me," she paused in mid-sentenced as she bit down on her lip to steel herself against the mixed emotions her abrupt questions have elicited. She felt as though she had crossed a line that should have never been crossed in the first place, especially when she wouldn't want anyone to start digging up her personal life."For me to bring up your daughter when I already knew, especially how public your personal life has been is unforgiveable and I'm so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking!"

"Trish, stop apologizing. It's okay." He reassured her with a sincere smile, though he found her distress quite amusing. "Let's forget about it?" She frowned as she rested her chin on her palm with her elbow propped on the table. There was a moment of awkward silence as Jeff looked down at his nearly empty plate and idly began drawing lines with the fork using what's left of the ketchup in front of him.

Trish studied him carefully, lightly drumming her fingers on her cheek. There was something about him that made her feel so open; it was as though she could confide in him. "It was a mutual decision." She spoke as Jeff looked back at her with confusion written on his face, "To end our marriage." He placed the fork down and listened. "We wanted different things and it got to the point where we just weren't as happy as we used to be. So we decided to get a divorce and that was it."

He nodded, taking a moment to let the information settle in before he could respond.

"Are you happy?" He asked.

She smiled and nodded. "I am. Despite the divorce, I can honestly say that I am happy."

"That's good to hear." He scratched the top of his head, struggling to find the words between the news she had shared with him and the question that kept lingering in his head. He grunted, suddenly finding the courage to ask. "So…umm…are you like…dating...anyone?" He stammered nervously, causing Trish to lift her eyebrows and chuckle.

"No…"

"Why not?"

She scoffed. "Oh come on, I'm a busy woman, Jeff. I don't have time to date. Plus, I've been with the same guy since high school. It's just gonna be awkward to all of a sudden date other guys, yah know? I don't think I even remember how to date someone. I know it sounds pathetic. I'm pathetic." She continued to ramble on and on quite nervously as Jeff stared at her with amusement. "Besides, who would want to date a recently divorced woman in her mid-thirties?" Jeff Hardy began to laugh as Trish shot him an icy glare. "What? See you're laughing!" She pointed at Jeff as she too giggled along with him. His laugh was quite infectious. "Why are you laughing?"

"I'm sorry." His laughter slowly subsided. "You're just the most beautiful woman I know and the fact that you're worried about dating is quite amusing."

She shook her head, "Why?"

"Because you're single, and I'm sure once the world knows that...there will be a line of guys waiting for you. Trust me."

Her gaze softened as she felt her cheeks suddenly go warm at the compliments he was throwing at her. "You're just being sweet."

"No, I'm serious. Believe it or not, but I had a huge crush on you when you first stepped into the WWE, and an even bigger crush on you when we started working together." He coyly smiled at the memory. "Guys in the locker room talk all the time about how hot you are and how you have the total package. But surely, you already know that." He grinned as her lips slightly parted.

"Y-you had a crush on me?" She asked in disbelief as their eyes met in an intense stare.

There was a moment of awkward silence as he downcast his eyes to conceal the embarrassment he felt after making his confession. He felt his heart swelled as she looked at him intently. He took in a sharp breath and whispered, "Of course I did."

* * *

**A/N**: Hehe...let me know what you think! Thanks for reading and don't forget to leave a review! I'd really appreciate it.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**: Thanks to those who reviewed the previous chapters. R&R. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 4**

_Then I'll see your face  
I know I'm finally yours..._

"Okay, ladies. Good job. Let's call it a day. We will continue again first thing tomorrow morning." Amy dismissed the current WWE Divas in training as they began to leave the gym one by one, evidently exhausted as the young fresh faces of the women division tried to drag their limp bodies to the locker room. She turned her attention over to Trish who was on her cell phone texting and smiling to whoever was on the recipient end replying to her messages. Amy didn't think much of it, but she had the sudden urge to ask as to who or what has occupied her friend's thoughts. "Who's that?" She asked curiously as Trish looked up and immediately put her phone away.

"No one. Just checking my email," she replied casually with a smile. "You ready to go?" She asked, diverting the attention away from her as Amy shrugged her shoulders and nodded.

The two exited the training facility and headed towards Amy's rental car with the cool breeze gently brushing their faces and providing some relief from today's training session. It felt good to be outdoors after hours of being enclosed in the gym. As Amy slipped into the driver's seat with Trish on the passenger side, she turned over to her Canadian friend who was once again on her phone. Without warning and with slight irritation, Amy snatched the phone from her grasp as a surprise gasp escaped from her lips. "What the—hey!" She shrieked, reaching over to grab the mobile device as Amy turned her back towards her and began reading the text on the bright screen.

"_Can't wait.- Jeff."_ She read out loud as she looked up at Trish who suddenly gave up in retrieving her phone. The Canadian native leaned back comfortably on the passenger seat and frowned as she began putting her seatbelt, oblivious to her friend's revelation. Amy raised a curious brow as silence lingered between them. "What the hell is going on?" She retorted, forcing Trish to look back at her in utter bewilderment. "You two been _hanging_ _out_?"

Trish sighed deeply as Amy shook the phone in front of her, referring to the text message that Jeff recently sent to her. "Yes, so?" She replied vaguely while taking her mobile device back without struggle and dropping it into her gym bag.

"Do you like him or something?" The question caught Trish off guard as she shot Amy a look of surprise.

"What?! No, no it's not like that." She chuckled, finding Amy's shocked behavior and assumption quite amusing.

"Then what is it? Because from what I recall, you two never really hung out by yourselves. And now…?"

"We're not dating, Ames." She smirked, knowing where the conversation was leading to. "Relax. If I all of a sudden have feelings for him, you'd be the first to know."

"Then why be so secretive about it?" She asked curiously as Trish grunted in annoyance. _'What's with the interrogation,'_ she thought.

"I don't know—I just didn't want to make a big deal about it?" She spoke in all honesty, shrugging her shoulders; obviously not in the mood to explain her actions. But knowing how persistent Amy could be, there was no point in changing the subject. Trish reluctantly continued on. "I mean, once word gets out it becomes something more than it really is. And I guess I just didn't want you to take it the wrong way like you are right now over some stupid text. For God's sake, I'm getting a divorce and the last thing I need is for gossip to spread like wild fire."

Amy slightly nodded her head, still curious about Trish's newfound friendship with Jeff. It's not that they weren't friends to begin with; they were more like acquaintances who happen to share the same friends within the wrestling business. Although she had known them for years and considered both her close friends, the only time they would hang out was going over storylines and intergender matches that they were put in. And to find out that Trish Stratus and Jeff Hardy were all of a sudden spending quality time together without a third person, like herself, to turn a seemingly awkward situation into a comfortable one was quite a surprise.

"Look, Jeff has been great." Trish explained, trying to find the words to keep Amy from constantly wondering as she continued to stare at her with a mix of genuine concern and curiosity. "He makes me laugh and I haven't had a good laugh for months now. I really needed that." Her hazel brown eyes softened as her facial expression turned somber. It was then did Amy believe her. After everything that Trish has been through with the divorce, she deserved some happiness in her life even if it was Jeff to be the one to make her laugh. That, she understood completely. He has a way of making people feel better, herself included. "Hanging out with you and being somewhat involve in the WWE has made me feel whole again. And with Jeff being around…" Trish paused in mid-sentenced as she felt the corners of her lips turn upward into a sincere smile. "He makes me feel better and helps me forget all my troubles. I wished I figured this out sooner, but he is great company."

Amy smiled as she let out a sigh of relief. "Well I'm glad to see you two getting along quite nicely. I just wouldn't want you to get into trouble and interfere with his relationsh-" She was interrupted in mid-sentence when Trish's cell phone suddenly went off. Amy sighed as she watched her friend pick up her cell phone to answer it.

"Sorry, Ames." She groaned despondently as she brought the phone to her ear. "Hello?" As Amy began to turn on the ignition to the car, she immediately noticed the color drained out of her friend's face—as the exuberance that once filled the Canadian's features were now replaced with sadness.

* * *

"I can't believe that's it." The thought escaped her as she absent-mindedly watched the bartender fill up her shot glass once again. It has been a few hours since she received a call from her lawyer to inform her that the divorce has been finalized and she was now a single woman.

"Isn't that what you wanted?" Her male companion spoke as she looked up at his tender green eyes and weakly smiled.

"Yeah, I mean…I'm glad that it's over with. But…it's still depressing." She sighed deeply, brushing her brunette locks away from her face before taking another shot. She made a face of disgust as the alcohol left a burning sensation in her throat. She grunted before continuing on. "He was my high school sweetheart, Jeff. I never thought we'd separate. _Ever_. Let alone get a divorce." The younger Hardy nodded his head solemnly as silence hung in the air for a brief moment. He wanted to console her; make her smile and laugh somehow—anything to pick up the _pieces_ and make her feel whole again. Her sharp gaze then fell upon him and frowned as he mirrored the same sad expression on his face. "Ugh, I'm sorry." She blurted out. "Tonight was supposed to be fun and I'm ruining it."

"No, it's okay." He reassured her with a warm smile that instantly lifted her spirits up. "I'm glad you can talk to me about it."

She smiled genuinely in response, grateful to have someone like Jeff to listen to her problems and not once judge her for the actions she has taken that led her to this point in her life. This was something she would normally talk about with Amy or any of her closest friends, but after spending more time with Jeff within a few short days, she knew that she could trust him. Plus, Trish enjoyed his company immensely and often wondered why they never hit it off the first time they met. They would've been great friends for sure if either of them gave it a chance.

"Yeah, well I think I'm done talking about it." She muttered, wanting to get off the subject now that her marriage was done and over with. It was time to finally move on with her life.

Their conversations flowed effortlessly as they talked about their day and laughed hysterically between jokes while also poking fun at one another. They learned so much about each other as they went on in depth about music, politics, wrestling and movies they recently watched. Hours have gone by so quickly, neither of them realized how late it was until Trish quickly checked for any messages on her phone and see that it was already 11:30pm. They've been sitting at the bar for over three hours as the realization made both of them laugh.

"Let's play a quick game and then we can go!" Trish exclaimed excitedly before either of them made a suggestion to leave. He couldn't help, but smile at the energetic brunette before him despite the long day she had.

"Sure, what do you have in mind?" He asked, staring at his female companion with amusement.

"First and second impressions," she grinned as he lifted his eyebrows—unaware of the game she had suggested them to play.

"Never heard of it," he replied honestly. He wasn't much into playing games, except one that involved a game console and a controller. He was quite a gamer in that area.

"It's not really a game," she admitted sheepishly. "It's one of those _'get to know you better' _kinda game." Jeff nodded his head and smirked. He would often refuse to play such silly games, but because it was none other than Trish Stratus, he'd be more than happy to comply. "Anyway, we share our first impression of each other in one word. And then we share what we think about each other now using one word.

"Sounds easy."

"Okay, I'll go first." She stared at Jeff, trying to find the one word that came to mind when she first laid eyes on him. Once she thought of it, she smiled. "I thought you were…well…_strange_."

He wrinkled his forehead and frowned. "Strange?" The younger Hardy looked at her in disappointment as she burst out in laughter at his priceless reaction. He scratched the top of his head, and realized that anyone would think he was strange. With the crazy hair and, at times, bizarre outfits, anyone who took a quick glance at him would think he was more of a freak. "Was it the hair?" He asked, trying to figure out the reasons behind her confession.

She chuckled. "No, believe it or not I thought your hair was cool. You were just so…quiet…distant?"

"Well quiet sounds better than strange, don't you think?" He gave her a hurt, but playful look as it made Trish stick her tongue out playfully.

"Yeah, and I found it _strange_ with how quiet and distant you were." She added with a smirk as he simply shook his head. "Okay, your turn. What was your first impression of me?"

"_Hot_." He replied sternly, not having to think about it as Trish rolled her eyes.

"So predictable."

He groaned. "I wasn't the one that came up with this game."

"Alright, alright." She smiled as she playfully nudged his shoulder. The unexpected gesture suddenly made his heart jump.

"So...umm...what do you think of me now in one word?" He asked rather nervously, trying so hard to not let his nerves get the best of him. The quick touch of her bare arm against his skin was all it took to make his insides churn.

"_Sweet_." She replied softly as the rush of blood suddenly warmed his cheeks. He immediately looked away and nodded his approval.

"Okay, I can deal with that." He stated as she lightly chuckled in response.

"So what about me?" She asked, her eyes studying him in intense concentration with a wide smile that melted his heart. He looked in the depths of her brown eyes, completely lost in them as it took him awhile longer than expected to finally utter the one single word that best described the woman before him.

"_Beautiful_." He whispered as Trish slightly parted her lips, touched not only by his answer, but the way he was looking right through her as he said it. This time she felt her heart skip a beat.

* * *

**A/N:** Please let me know what you think! Thanks for reading. =)


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Thanks again for reading and sending in your reviews! Things will start to pick up, and you'll see where I'm going with this by the end of this chapter. There was also a little clue from the previous chapter during a conversation with Amy and Trish (which leads up to it, in case you haven't caught it) Anyway, R&R. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 5**

_I find everything  
I thought I lost before_

Jeff Hardy waited anxiously in the doctor's office, constantly staring back and forth at the clock to see that only five minutes have passed since he arrived. As he was about to pull out his cell phone to check for any messages to pass the time, his physician suddenly enters the room causing him to look up and acknowledge the gray-haired man's presence. Jeff immediately got up from the comfy leather couch, motioning towards the other side of the room to shake the elder man's hand.

"Hello, Jeff. It's nice to see you again." He kindly greeted before taking his seat behind the mahogany desk. The younger Hardy in turned, grabbed a chair nearby and sat in front of him. "How are you feeling?" He started off casually as Jeff offered him a small smile in return, mentally preparing himself for the worse as he drew in a deep breath.

"I'm feeling good." He replied vaguely, wanting to get right to the point so he can finally leave. He found hospital visits to be dreadful, filling his head with disappointment and false hope. And although he was used to getting beat down as a living that could ultimately lead him to the hospital if his injuries ever got serious, there was still that fear lingering in the back of his head—that one fatal mistake in the ring that could end his career in a heartbeat. Luckily for him, he still had a chance.

Silence hung in the air for a brief moment as his physician idly began going through a bunch of papers in his medical chart, occasionally adjusting his reading glasses and nodding while quickly going over each page.

"Well I spoke with your physical therapist today and he informed me that you started doing yoga." He said frankly as he dropped the papers in front of him on the desk and looked up at his client. Jeff could tell from his warm expression that he was indeed interested. "How is that going for you?"

"It's going great." Jeff replied as he instantly thought about Trish—how her captivating brown orbs seem to always make him feel weak; how her brunette hair would fall loosely to frame her beautiful face; and how her soothing voice enthralled him with each syllable she spoke. He felt the corners of his lips turn upward into a smile as he gave himself a mental note to thank Trish later on; to thank her for her ever-lasting passion and drive to share her knowledge...and inspire so many including himself to live life as if it were his last.

Jeff soon returned from his brief reverie as he shook his head and faced the elder man before him who remained silent, prompting him to continue on. "I mean I've experienced less pain and was able to get through the toughest part of my training. Everything has become…yah know, more manageable." He explained with a smile that seemed to never leave him as he once again thought about the Canadian bombshell.

The doctor nodded his head in agreement. "Well, I can tell you that you're doing great, Jeff. You look great, you feel great. You have regained much of your flexibility in your back and managed to successfully complete therapy without so much pain. I encourage you to keep doing what you're doing. At this point, it looks like you may be able to return to the ring sooner than we predicted."

Jeff's eyes sprung open in surprise. He drew in a deep breath before sharing his disbelief. "A-are you serious?"

"Don't get your hopes up just yet, son." His doctor lightly chuckled. "I'm not making any promises. With your injury, it takes roughly 6 months to a year for a full recovery. But because you've shown great improvement over the past few days, there is a possibility that you may be able to return to the ring within 4 months from now."

Jeff simply nodded his head, trying so hard to not get too excited. But with great news like this, he couldn't help himself. This was a start to his recovery; a start to renewing his life.

"I would like to check up on you in two weeks to see how you progressed." The doctor informed him. "You will receive a call within a few days about the day and time of your appointment." There was a short pause, allowing Jeff to collect his thoughts. "Do you have any questions for me, Jeff?"

"No, sir." He smiled, very eager to get out of there and share the good news to whoever crossed his path.

"Alright, I'll see you in a few weeks."

"Thank you." He firmly shook his hand and exited the room.

* * *

He stepped out of his rental car with a sense of exuberance and renewed determination. He felt great; knowing that the hours and energy he has put in towards full recovery was starting to pay off. In fact, he hadn't felt this great in months! With the stress of his injury and the conflict he continued to have with his ex-girlfriend over their one-year-old daughter has put a toll on his body and delayed any efforts in improving his current condition. Now everything seemed to fall into place as it should be. He found a greater appreciation of life, and accepted full responsibility for the mistakes and the hurt he had caused to those closest to him. And although he was already at peace, he felt that now was the time to take full advantage of the many blessings he still has.

Jeff made his way towards the entrance of the hotel, happily greeting a few of his co-workers coming in and out of the foyer. He was in such a good mood as he would catch a few of his male friends staring at him weirdly as they passed him by. But he didn't care. He was too thrilled to even care what others think of him. He was going to return to the ring very soon and that was all that mattered.

Jeff stood in the middle of the lobby, scanning his surroundings—hoping to find a familiar face to share the news with. He then spotted his good friend Amy leaving the dining area hand in hand with Phillip Brooks, also known as CM Punk to the wrestling world as she turned her gaze over to the rainbow-haired man and smiled from across the room. Jeff smiled in return as he watched her whisper a few words to her boyfriend before parting ways with him.

"Trish is not with you?" It appeared more of a statement than a question as Amy approached him with her arms folded across her chest, sending an icy glare at his way. Jeff simply raised a curious eyebrow, unsure of what she meant or why she all of a sudden appeared upset towards him. He decided not to think much of it, although he knew deep down what Amy was getting at.

"Uh no…I was at my appointment remember?"

Her eyes suddenly lit up as though everything else was put aside and forgotten. "And?" She spoke out of curiosity, urging him to continue on.

He grinned, unable to contain the joy that soon clouded his features. "He said if I keep doing what I'm doing and continue to make progress, I could return to the ring in 4 months."

A light gasp escaped from her lips as she suddenly jumped into his arms in a warm embrace, startling him for a brief moment as he released a chuckle. He snaked his arms around her petite waist and gave it a little squeeze. "Oh my God, Jeff that's great news!" Amy's excitement suddenly matched his own as she pulled away and looked into his emerald eyes; both of them consumed with happiness. "Have you told _her_?"

He shook his head. "No, I haven't seen Trish yet. I thought she'd be with you."

Amy frowned as the excitement that once filled her facial expressions were now clouded with disappointment. She downcast her eyes and sighed deeply, trying so hard to not let her emotions get the best of her. "I wasn't talking about Trish…" He furrowed his eyebrows in bewilderment as she slowly looked back at him, her sharp gaze piercing at his own as it made him visibly flinched. "I was talking about Candice." She spoke carefully as he felt a wave of discomfort and regret lurking in the pit of his stomach. "You know, your _girlfriend_? Or have you completely forgotten about her?"

* * *

**A/N:** Hehe, let me know what you think!


End file.
